Asks: Open

Askblog for Siffrin from Start Again: a Prologue, set slightly before and diverging from the events of the game. There be 2hats spoilers in these waters.

[asksiffrin]

Ask Siffrin

Asks: Open

This is a blog centered on Siffrin. Expect Siffrin-typical behavior and ISAT/SASASAP-typical subject matter. This includes (temporary) suicide.

Important posts linked under the cut.

(Even with your sieve of a brain, you still have a few important memories!)

[About the voices.]

[A resolution.]

[Yeah, you've fought the King.]

[Loop?]

[Equipable memories!]

[How do you feel about the voices?]

[A new Craft Skill.]

[Some goals.]

[Pronouns!]

[Mumbling things.]

[Dagger sharpened.]

[asksiffrin]

hi. sorry that it has been more than a month. unfortunately my adhd keeps getting in the way of continuing this blog. which sucks bc i want to do it.

[asksiffrin]

sorry for no updates yesterday and the quiet today! alter in front has some triggers related to blog stuff

[asksiffrin]

Oh and don’t forget the library on the third floor, Protostar! The Housemaiden will need to be able to unfreeze even more than we normally need it if you’re going to be picking fights on floor three and plan to last against the king~

"That's true, tee hee!"

(You just have to make it there~!)

[asksiffrin]

Please do, Protostar. It might help make it more noticeable if the strike is particularly powerful, like Odile’s papercraft. Fighting a few more sadnesses than usual on floor three could also help.

Though don’t worry if you can’t, it’s not vital~ It might help figure some things out regarding how we’ll have to approach dealing with the king, but we can manage without too~

(The Sadnesses on the third floor are actually dangerous. You can handle them if you're paying attention, but if you lose focus it's very easy for those fights to go poorly.)

(Not that it matters that much if you die, tee hee! Besides, practice makes perfect~!)

(You'll make sure to actually engage in a few battles this time.)

[asksiffrin]

Sif, after careful analysis, i found out that you should wear a tophat.

"I... huh?"

(You're happy with the hat you have, thanks!)

[asksiffrin]

By the way, Protostar, I need to ask a bit of a strange question.

When you fight the king, do one of your attacks ever seem to just… not hurt him as much as they did the rest of the times you struck? Specifically the last attack you make before he does his thing, so to speak.

"...I don't think so?"

(You'll look out for that next time, you suppose.)

[asksiffrin]

Oh phew if you were contemplating doing it on purpose that’s fine, Protostar~ I was just worried you had forgotten~

It’s not like you’ll be able to ever eat pineapple again when this is all over, so might as well experience it a few times while you can.

(Exactly, it's not that big a deal! You just don't want to repeat the second floor right now.)

[asksiffrin]

Don't? Take the pineapple? Please??

(Come on, it's not like you act on every suicidal impulse you have. Even if pineapple is a delicious way to die.)

(You some madelines from the Kid, and bite into one.)

[asksiffrin]

(And that's the Sadness blocking the way to the third floor taken care of! Time to pick one of the Kid's snacks again... and be thoughtful about it, because you won't get another one.)

(A voice in the back of your head suggests you take the pineapple this time, just to taste it again.)

[asksiffrin]

See, I can be helpful, protostar~ Though uh. I’m actually not sure where it is either~ Just something about it being high up and falling easily~

We can help remember things for you, but we can’t actually see the house, just some of your thoughts and words, so you’ll have to mention something specifically for us to help.

(High up... in the closet, maybe?)

(You open it. The closet contains some bandages, painkillers, and...)

Housemaiden: "Oh, eyepatches!"

Kid: "Those look ugly. Frin's is better."

Fighter: "Hehehe..."

Fighter: "Does your eyepatch fit still, Sif? I can adjust it if you ever need me to!"

(You make sure to smile, but your attention is focused elsewhere. On the top shelf, you can just make out the glimmer of the glass key.)

Fighter: "Huh? What are you looking at, Sif?"

(You point. It's just out of your reach... if you tried to get it yourself, you'd probably knock it down.)

Fighter: "Oh! Do you need help getting that?"

(You nod, and the Fighter steps closer, reaching for the key.)

(...Wait. With how fragile this key is, and how easily it falls...)

(The Fighter's hand bumps the shelf, knocking the key from it, but you're ready. You lift your cloak in front of you, carefully catching it in the fabric.)

(Phew. That was close.)

[asksiffrin]

Oh uh. Mind the shattering thing, Protostar!

(The shattering thing... right. It would suck to have to go through this floor again because of that blinding stupid fragile glass key.)

(...)

(Where was it again? You only remember that it was much too close to the edge of something.)

[asksiffrin]

You did it, Protostar!~

Now to see if the Change God is going to be gracious enough to grant you the Keyknife (or was it Knifekey?) or if they’ll hold out on us.

Either way that’s something new, yay!~

(You just have to get to the third floor now!)

(Time to head to the break room to pick up that last key!)

[asksiffrin]

Please be sharp, please be sharp, please be sharp...

(Luckily, it doesn't take you too long to get back to where the sharpening stone is. You have to make sure to look in a few of the wrong places so you don't tip anyone off that something is wrong, of course, but even with that it's quick enough.)

(Now, it's time to test if this works. You stroke your dagger against the stone, and as you mutter under your breath you can hear the others joining in behind you.)

(This is new. It's nice.)

(And your dagger's a bit sharper now, too!)

(The Traveler's Attack went up slightly!)

[asksiffrin]

(!!!)

(There it is!)

(You pick up one of the pieces of wood and put your dagger against it to start carving, paying close attention to the others to see if they say anything. Sure enough, the Fighter speaks up.)

(...You usually mumble things under your breath when you're doing things like this? Something like "please be good"... or for sharpening something, maybe "please be sharp?")

(...)

(This is actual progress, isn't it? You'd forgotten what that felt like.)

[asksiffrin]

You mentioned the trap building room being on the second floor, right? Maybe you'll find something there?

(You're almost there, so you'll check. You'd have to go through it anyway since there's a key there.)

[asksiffrin]

So uh, you doing alright there?

"Just peachy!"

(You're making progress, aren't you? That's more than you've been able to say in a while!)